prepaid_data_sim_cardfandomcom-20200216-history
Ireland
This page refers to the situation in the Republic of Ireland. To know more about getting mobile phone service in Northern Ireland, please check out the United Kingdom page. Basics Three physical operators remain in the Republic of Ireland: * eir ('previously '''Meteor) ' *'Vodafone '(Ireland) *'''Hutchison 3 (= Three) ' O2 in Ireland was acquired by Hutchison Whampoa (Three) in 2014 and previous O2 customers have been transferred to the Three brand in 2015 while the networks haven't been fully merged yet. Vodafone is still market leader by subscribers, Three has improved its network because of the ongoing merger with O2 and is closing the gap to Vodafone. eir, formerly called Eircom, still offers a very good coverage and speed throughout the country through its mobile network previously called the Meteor and eMobile. Eir was the first to offer 4G/LTE in 2013 on 800 (B20) and 1800 (B3) MHz, Vodafone started shortly later. Three started its LTE network on 1800 MHz (B3) in 2014, but still has a more limited coverage in populated areas. LTE on prepaid is given out on all network operators, but not all resellers yet. Like in the UK, prepaid SIM cards are often called Pay as you go and available without registration. Although Northern Ireland is part of the UK, ringing Northern Irish landlines from the Republic of Ireland may also be done by replacing the "02890" portion of the Northern Irish number with "04890". This way, one will be charged as if they have made a domestic call. Ireland is part of the EU, where from June 2017 new international roaming rules are enforced. In most European countries you can now 'roam like at home' at domestic rates rather than excessive roaming rates. Irish operators have applied the principle, but may cap some larger data packages for roaming. For specifics about the new regulation check European Union chapter and every provider below. 'Vodafone ' Vodafone has the most subscribers in the country and a good coverage and speed on 2G, 3G and 4G: Vodafone Coverage. Vodafone covers 90% with LTE in 2015 and is available for postpaid (= bill pay) and prepaid (= pay as you go) plans. 'Availabilty The pay-as-you-go SIM can be purchased at their stores (store locator) and other agents like Carphone Warehouse for €10, if you need a new number. All three SIM sizes are available. Top-ups can be made by vouchers or by any international credit card on their top-up site. When you top-up or activate, you can make calls for 6 months and receive calls for 8 months. After 8 months your call credit and your SIM will expire. Check balance by *174#. Pay as you go ''' Their prepaid SIMs are called pay-as-you-go and you can join one of their three base plans all valid for 28 days: * ''Chat Extra ''including 1 GB data, unlimited calls and texts: €20 * ''Smart Extra ''including 6 GB data, unlimited Vodafone calls and texts, 100 mins/SMS cross network: €20 * ''Extra ''including 8 GB data, unlimited calls and texts, 100 mins international calls - €30 To join a plan first text plan name to 50222 and after confirmation top-up €20 or €30 for 28 days. Default rate is €1.99 for 100 MB and €0.01 per MB beyond. Check exceptions for roaming and tethering below. All of those plans include Vodafones "data rollover", meaning unused data will be added to next months allowance. For more data you can add these add-ons: * 1 GB for 28 days: €5, text '5DATA' to 50233 * 5 GB for 30 days: €15, text 'DATA' to 50233 Note, that volumes from these add-ons can't be rolled over. Check data balance by texting 'BAL' to 50233 or in their app. '''Mobile Broadband Pay as you go Vodafone also sells data-only prepaid Mobile Broadband SIMs which gives you 20 GB of data for 28 days. It costs €20 and is charged after topping up by €20. *To opt in to this plan, text 'MBB' to 50222, then top-up by €20 Overuse or out of bundle use will be charged with €0.19 per MB. There is no roll-over on broadband plans. Vodafone X Similar to Voxi in the UK, Vodafone X is their youth plan aimed at users 18-25 years of age. But online you only need to enter any age in this group and elegibility is normally not checked. Even some Vodafone retailers activate this plan for you, when you don't look that young anymore. All exisiting or new PAYG SIM cards can be transferred to X. Before you top-up €20, text activation code to 50222 and wait for confirmation. They offer three different plans valid for 28 days for a €20 top-up: * unlimited weekends: 25 30 GB, 100 mins and unlimited SMS plus "unlimited" data and voice on the weekends (Fri 3pm until Sun 12am). "Unlimited" is capped at 20 GB per weekend. Activation: WEEKEND * music with audio streaming: 20 30 GB, 100 mins and unlimited SMS plus Spotify Premium account free for 6 months and €4.99 afterwards. Activation: MUSIC * sports with video streaming: 20 30 GB, 100 mins and unlimited SMS plus SKY GO Sky Sports Mobile TV Pack 1. Activation: SPORT Note that you can't roll over unused data like in their PAYG plans. Plans can be switched on a monthly basis. 'Tethering' Mobile hotspot data are only included in their plans when live.vodafone.com APN is selected, as stated in their T&Cs. Some phones will switch to hs.vodafone.com APN automatically instead, which will be charged at standard rates (€0.19 per MB). Vodafone support doesn't say whether on-plan tethering is supported or not, but will reiterate the APN restrictions. Affected Android users may be able to enable tethering by disabling the dial-up networking emulation International Roaming You can use any plan (even Vodafone X) in the EU just like you would at home for no extra cost. Vodafone has implemented 'roam like at home' rules without any volume restrictions, and additionally, includes Switzerland in their EU/EEA zone. For roaming outside their EU/EEA zone, their old RED roaming plans apply: * 200 MB per calendar day for €2.99 in Albania, Canada, Monaco, San Marino, Kosovo, Turkey, USA * 200 MB per calendar day for €4.99 in 50 countries mentioned here 'More info' *APN: live.vodafone.com /or/ hs.vodafone.ie *long TCP connections have a tendency of being dropped *Tethering is allowed (see exception for the "Extra" plan) *Website: http://www.vodafone.ie 'Hutchison 3 '(= Three) After the acquisition of O2 by Three, Hutchison merged the two brands in 2015. This has been largely a re-branding exercise and the networks have been fully united in the following years. Customers of both networks have been experiencing some problems during the merger, as it requires Three to built some new base stations and all the associated back-haul capacity while they will also consolidate some of their existing sites. 3G coverage can be very good in very isolated and remote areas due to the (now defunct) NBS government subsidy to help serve these areas, but this coverage is in 3G only on 2100 MHz which gives poor indoor coverage: Three's 3G/4G Coverage Map. Three operates 4G/LTE on 1800 MHz and 800 MHz in some rural areas. Occasionally, you will be switched to HSDPA even though 4G+ coverage is present. In that case, reconnecting to the network (e.g. by going into flight mode for a few seconds) should get you connected to 4G again. 'Availability ' SIM cards can be purchased online, as either their prepay sim or mobile broadband sim in their stores (locator) or at outlets like Carphone Warehouse. The prepaid SIMs are free or €20 with the same amount of credit, the prepaid Broadband SIMs are for €5. Standard, micro and nano-SIMs are available for PAYG, standard and micro SIMs only for Prepay Broadband. When buying the €20 prepaid sim, it should activate after about 15 minutes after putting it into the phone, but it can also take up to a few hours in some cases. Vouchers for top-ups are available in many stores nationwide. Have in mind that Three only accepts Irish- and UK-issued credit cards for top-ups online. As there are hardly any agencies to top-up Irish SIM cards, without vouchers available, it can be tricky to maintain a SIM from abroad. To check balance, dial 1745 for free. Every Three SIM card comes with a content lock activated similar to the UK. This filter blacks out all adult contents and sometimes even more. You can have it removed in the store at purchase (while some shops might not do this) or by sending an email to Three customer service with a scan of your ID document and the following reference - Remove Adult Filter". Removing the adult filter via email support can take up to 5 days or use a VPN app just in case. 'Prepaid SIM' The default pricing for data transfers is horrendous €1.01 per MB in Ireland and the EU. The SIM remains active while some kind of chargeable call or SMS (i.e. not part of any bundle or allowance) or a new top-up is made every 6 months. Take care of the tethering restrictions mentioned below. Three gives out allowances for top-ups as a bonus, not debited from your loaded credit. The free base plan with this excessive default rate can be added by the only package for data: * 500 MB for 30 days: €4.99 Otherwise, Three offers an "All You can Eat" monthly plan: * for a top-up of €20 valid for 28 days "all you can eat" data is given out. Additionally, it comes with 3000 on-net minutes, 3000 SMS to Ireland and the EU and €20 credit for free use. Fol "all you can eat" a FUP of 60 GB applies in Ireland and of 8 GB (10 GB from Jan. 2020) roaming in the rest of the EU. For EU roaming there are unlimited texts, but calls come out of your credit limit. Overuse fee for EU roaming is at high €1.01 per MB. Free Deezer Premium is added in Ireland for 3 months. 'Prepaid Broadband SIM' This SIM is data-only and is not always good-value, as the normal prepaid SIM is free and a €20 top-up includes a data allowance of 60 GB (see above), but it can be the smarter choice if you want to tether or use it out of your phone (see below). The Prepaid Broadband SIM is sold at €5 and can be loaded with these bundles: Out of bundle data are charged with 6.15c per MB in Ireland and the EU. For more data you can buy an add-on of 5 GB for €7.50 per month. All allowances are valid in Ireland and all over the EU. Tethering Three Ireland bans tethering on their smartphone prepaid SIM. There are reports that they suspend the "all you can eat data" bundle, when they detect a non-smartphone use or any tethering from a phone. If you want to tether data or use it not in a phone, better choose their Prepaid Broadband SIM instead. EU roaming You can get their "roam like home" EU rates on PAYG in the 28 countries of the EU/EEA. Most allowances are given out at the domestic rate, only the AllYouCanEat package for €20 is capped at 6 GB in the EU. 'More info' * "Unlimited" means a 60 GB FUP. If you exceed this, your data-speed may be throttled. * Prepaid SIMs are opted into Three's Adult Content filter by default *Broadband micro-SIM does not support personal hotspot on iPads (3 or 4) *VoIP apps like Skype may be filtered out in some cases. Currently, it's free with the Three mobile Skype app on a compatible phone. *APN: 3ireland.ie *Website: http://www.three.ie/ 'eir ('previously meteor) Eir is Ireland's largest Telecom operator, formerly called Eircom, their mobile brand Meteor until 2017. Eir has the third-largest market share in the mobile market and its parent company has the advantage of owning a nationwide fibre backbone, enabling it to offer fast data speeds at a good coverage: Eir Coverage . In 2013, Eir became the first operator to commercially launch LTE/4G capability in Ireland. In April 2017, Eir offers 95% LTE coverage. Ireland’s Eir Group has discontinued the ‘meteor’ brand in 2017, with all of the company’s mobile offerings to be marketed under the ‘eir’ banner from that date. Be aware, that, when searching for networks manually, the network name is often displayed as "meteor IE" but when connected, it's change to EIR. So don't get confused by the different names. 'Availability' Eir offers its pay-as-you-go SIM card for free in its shops when bought with a €10 top-up (see Eir store locator) and other outlets. Standard, micro and nano size SIMs are available. Minimum top-up is €5. Top-up vouchers are widely available nationwide. 4G/LTE is available on prepay, but the minimum cost is a €20 top-up per month bundle which also includes free calls or texts. SIM cards must be topped up every 150 days to maintain service for outbound calls and texts. They will be deactivated 30 days later. You can top-up online €´5 - €60 using any international credit/debit card or vouchers sold at 7000 outlets in the country. Check balance by *#100#. Base plans As of August 8th 2019 these plans come with 80 GB data to use within Ireland. it is marketed as "No Limits Data" where usage beyond 80 GB is not charged for, but may be speed or service restricted until the end of the billing cycle. You can opt in the following plans with renewal after 28 days, but don't need to: * for €20: with unlimited text or calls plus 80 GB data (EU cap: 7.3 GB). Activation for the call version text "20 calls and data", for the text version "20 text and data" to 50104 * for €30: with unlimited text and calls plus 80 GB data (EU cap: 10.9 GB). Activation: "Unlimited" to 50104 'Data feature packs' Like their competitors, they have a expensive standard rate: €1.99 per day up to 100 MB and €0.02 per MB (=€20.48 per GB) thereafter. To all of their their pay as you go SIM cards with or without base plan, you add top-up the following bundles for 28 days: To activate, text code to 50104. For more data within your running month, you can add two boosters valid for 30 days (no EU cap): * 500 MB: €4.99, activation: Booster500 * 1 GB: €9.99, activation: Booster1 Mobile Broadband Passes Eir sells Mobile Broadband SIM cards with data only for tablets at €1 in their stores. On their data-only SIM, these Mobile Broadband Passes can be added in 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE: For activation, text code to 50104. Note the expensive €0.99 per MB, if you go over your allowance. The Mobile Broadband Passes require a different data-only SIM card and can't be mixed with the other internet add-ons in the table above. EU roaming ''' Eir caps all larger data bundles in EU roaming, but generally applies "Roam like at home" rules for roaming in the EU/EEA. '''More info * Tethering is supported * VoIP works on Eir * APN: data.myeirmobile.ie * APN for broadband SIMs: broadband.myeirmobile.ie * Website: https://www.eir.ie 'Tesco Mobile' Tesco Mobile is the MVNO of the leading retailer in the country. It used to operate on O2 and migrated to the Three network, no 4G yet 4G has been enabled in late 2018. It's the most popular MVNO in the country with a market share of about 6%. It is often chosen by tourists or immigants for cheap calls abroad sarting from 1c a minute 'Availability and start-up' The SIM card can be bought online or offline at any Tesco outlet (Tesco store locator) especially these with a phone shop attached for €10. When purchased with €15 top-up the €10 cost of SIM is discounted giving effectively a starter SIM €15 with €15 credit. All new customers are initially signed up to the basic plan. For a monthly minimum top-up of €10 you receive standard call rates, and free texts and calls amongst Tesco Mobile. When a top up of €15 is applied, unlimited free calls to all networks are enabled for 30 days, 10 GB 3G data and you keep your call credit. Tesco Mobile is one of the cheapest option for international calls when visiting Ireland. Top up vouchers can be found at Tesco, Payzone, Paypoint, Postpoint and other stores for €5, €10, €15, €20, €25 or €30. Check balance check by *100#. Simple plan offer New prepaid users are opted in to the "Simple" offer by default. As a bonus, a €15 top-up provides: * 15 GB 4G data for 30 days (capped at 5.42 GB in EU roaming) * Unlimited (FUP: 10,000 mins) domestic minutes for 30 days * Unlimited (FUP: 3,000 SMS) Tesco Mobile texts * €5 bonus credit Switching to this plan for existing users: text "Join Simple" to 1744. To activate the plan, top-up by €15 or more in one go. 'Data feature packs' The default pricing for data transfers is a low €0.02 per MB.' '''The' f'ollowing bundles can be booked: These bundles don't renew themselves, you have to book them again after expiration. Using Tesco Mobile App, recurring 1 GB data and 5 GB data are available. No caps for EU roaming are applied. '''EU roaming' From 2017 you can use Tesco Mobile Prepay within the EU just like you would at home in Ireland. This means that if you’re travelling within the EU and want to call/text another EU country or use data you’ll pay the same price as you would at home in Ireland. A FUP for data applies for some Prepay plans. All existing customers as at 15th of June 2017 are eligible to receive Tesco Mobile’s new EU roaming rates. Customers that join Tesco Mobile after the 15th of June 2017 will need to pass a basic customer authenticity check before being eligible to use their allowances while roaming in the EU. To pass an authenticity check all a customer needs to do is sign into my.tescomobile.ie or register a Tesco Clubcard to Tesco Mobile account. Not having one of these, roaming may be declined in the future. 'More info' *APN: tescomobile.liffeytelecom.com *Tethering is permitted *Website: http://www.tescomobile.ie Lycamobile The leading UK ethno provider started in Ireland in 2012. It has good coverage and speeds in 2G and 3G only, no 4G/LTE yet, using the Three network. Availability and start-up As usual, their SIM card is free. It can be ordered online to be sent to an Irish postal address (hotel addresses are accepted). Or you can buy it in selected retailers: Centra, Spar, Supervalu, MACE, Costcutter, Londis, Gala, Eason. Please note that availability varies greatly. SIM packs come in many different configurations - some are free without credit, some come are paid for with preloaded credit, and some stores sell free SIMs for a fee without free credit. The front of the SIM pack shows the preloaded credit value, and lists the break-out size of SIM inside. Standard, micro and nano SIMs are available from their website. Larger Easons stores stock the free SIM in standard and micro sizes only, but charge a €0.50 surcharge for purchasing a top-up. Lycamobile will send you a text with your phone number after putting it into a phone for the first time. You can also check your number with *132#. You can top-up online using credit or debit card or using vouchers sold through PayPoint or Payzone retailers (= most convenience stores in Ireland). Scratch card vouchers start at €5. To enter type *131*#. Check balance by *131#. There must be a billable charge on the SIM every 90 days to keep it active and all call credit now expires 90 days after it was topped up. Data feature packages The default rate for data outside of package is €0.09 per MB. Lycamobile sells monthly data packs valid for 30 days, which change quite often for data valid only in Ireland and partly in the EU: All packages auto-renew if there is enough credit. To stop, type *190# at least one day before the old bundle expires. For extra data, they offer a bolt-ons provided one of the above has already been purchased, valid for the rest period of the base package: * 500 MB: €2, activation: *139*601# * 1 GB: €3, activation: *139*602# These combo packages are offered: * National S: 1 GB data, 300 mins, 300 SMS - €9, activation: *139*2001# * Ireland Plus: 25 GB IE data capped at 6 GB in the EU, unlimited mins and texts: €15, activation: *139*2015# * All in One M: ''35 GB IE data capped at 7.5 GB in the EU, unlimited national mins and texts, 100 IDD mins: €20, activation: *139*2004# * ''All in One L: unlimited data (60 GB at full speed, after speed may be throtted) in IE capped at 11 GB in the EU, unlimited national mins and texts, 100 IDD mins: €30, activation: *139*2005#. Data usage can be checked by dialing *137# for data add-ons, and *147# for inclusive data. Warning: As of July 2019 Lycamobile intercept web browsing to inject ads into unencrypted HTTP web traffic, and additional measures that captures your browsing before redirecting to the HTTPS version of a site. This may temporarily break some apps and downloads unless you use a VPN. EU roaming Lycamobile applies roam like at home rules to their data and combo packages up to the specified limit. All other EU roaming is on the default rate of €0.09 per MB. More info * APN: data.lycamobile.ie * Username: lmie (that's lowercase L, not capital i) * Password: plus * by default, some Android Phones configure the APN wrongly leaving Username & Password blank when activating the Sim * Lycamobile is known to block tethering and WiFi hotspots * Website: http://www.lycamobile.ie Post Mobile '''(formerly Postfone) An Post, the Irish postal system, launched Postfone as MVNO on the Vodafone network in 2010. In 2015 it was rebranded to Post Mobile and data services were added. Vodafone has one the best coverages in the country in 2G 3G and 4G/LTE (coverage map). '''Availability and start-up An Post (= Irish Mail) has the largest retail network in Ireland. The SIM card is sold at their branches (locator) all over the country for free, but you have to subscribe to one of their plans (see below). You can top-up online or by vouchers from retailers displaying the Postpoint and Payzone signs. These retailers include Londis, Centra, Spar, Mace and Gala. Then you simply dial 1747 and follow the prompts to put in your credit. Check balance by *200#. Data feature packages The default rate for data outside of packages is 16c per MB. For data they offer: * ‘ALL YOU NEED’ PREPAY SIM: unlimited minutes and texts, 16 GB data, 5€ credit - 20€ EU roaming Effective 2017 Postmobile customers are able to use their allowance of data, calls and texts at no extra cost. It’s also free to receive calls and texts from the Republic of Ireland when you are travelling in Europe. Calls, texts and data add-on’s will also work like at home when travelling in Europe. Out-of-bundle calls, texts or data usage will be charged as per their standard home out-of-bundle rates. "Europe" consists of the EU, EEA, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. More info * APN: isp.postfone.ie * Website: http://postmobile.ie 48 '''(48months.ie) 48 is Ireland's first online youth mobile network. This MVNO operates on the Three network in 2G and 3G, without 4G/LTE. Its business model is very similar to Giffgaff carrier in the UK. Officially they allow to register 18-22 year olds only; but in practice anyone can register their SIM card. '''Availability SIM cards can be shipped to any Irish postal address ordered via their website or can sometimes be obtained in Dublin's venues at promotions. Note, that this SIM is generally not distributed through stores. The SIM is free and no minimal order is required. That's why it's listed on this Wiki instead of other online-only operators being banned. However, they don't offer pay-as-you-go rates and you need to buy a 'membership plan' in order to use it after having activated the SIM online. You can top-up your account from €1 and then buy a membership plan or buy a membership plan straight ahead by credit card. Also you can buy a top-up voucher in shop with Payzone sign and at Omnivend vending machines across Ireland. To apply a voucher to your account dial *101* # on your phone. Credit or debit cards are accepted and international cards are supported up to €20 for one top-up. The SIM card may expire after 6 month period if you don't make a chargeable action or buy a membership plan, but often they don't disconnect their SIM cards at all. Voice and data plans There are 3 so-called 'membership' plans available for new customers: * The Guido' '''for €10 per month: 3 GB internet, 60 landline minutes, 300 mobile minutes, 5000 texts to any mobile network and the unlimited use of WhatsApp. * ''The Mitch' '''for €15 per month: 25 GB internet, 50 mobile minutes, 100 texts to any mobile network and the unlimited use of WhatsApp. * ''The Don' '''for €20 per month: 20 GB internet, 60 landline minutes, 1000 mobile minutes, 5000 texts to any mobile network and the unlimited use of WhatsApp. The unlimited use of WhatsApp only applies to messenging, not to VoIP or video calls. You can extend your plan by add-ons: 1 GB internet extra for €3 valid as long as the current membership plan is running. '''EU roaming' The only way to use 48's SIM card in the EU/EEA is to buy the Guido' '''plan. Data roaming is included in EU/EEA, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man in the Guido plan, on other plans it's disabled and doesn't work at all. '''More info' * APN: 48months.liffeytelecom.com * Website: http://www.48months.ie 'iD mobile '(ceased operation on 23/April/2018) iD Mobile was an MVNO that started in the UK and spread to Ireland in 2015 using the Three network. It was owned by Carphone Warehouse and unlike other MVNOs they resold Three's 4G/LTE network too (for specifics see Three above). In 2016 they added prepay offers and Mobile Broadband plans. In March 2018 iD mobile went into liquidation due to lack of revenues, no potential investors and mounting debt. No new SIM cards are sold anymore and top-up vouchers only until March 2018. Existing customers were given 30 days, until 6 April 2018 to use up any remaining credit and transfer their number to another network provider. No refunds or credit transfers were given, with accordance to operator’s terms and conditions. Past this date no number porting to another provider will be possible anymore. As of 23rd April 2018, all SIMs have been deactivated. Should you own a device locked to iD mobile, they offer an unlocking service(This is no longer available) Category:Europe Category:Country Category:Hutchison 3 Category:Vodafone Category:12/18